Were they what she expected? Nah
by Charlesworthy III
Summary: But even so, they were the family she's always wanted. One shot for Nagamas. Henry/Nowi and Henry!Nah. First thing I've uploaded in 3 years.


All the children from the future were ecstatic to reunite with their parents. To get a second chance to converse with some one you love was a phenomenal experience, especially to Nah, because she hadn't gotten that first chance the others did. She had questions upon queries, thousands of things she wondered but feared would always go unanswered, and she was having a very difficult time keeping from barraging either of her parents with them.

Having met them and seeing what they were really like was bittersweet. In her childhood, she had turned them into giants and heroes. They couldn't take care of her because they were single-handedly saving the world or otherwise working against the injustices she expected all manaketes knew so intimately. They were master strategists and fighters, her mother a fierce warrior, and her father the steady hand to guide her fiery breath.

What Nah got instead was a childish mother and eccentric (eccentric was the least hurtful word she had heard him been referred to) father.

But she refused to get disappointed. They were her parents, after all, and they were finally _here_, even if she had to wait over a decade and travel through time in order to get to know them. She soon came to realize that no one could stack up to the fantasies she had created as a child, and that as far from the mark as she had _been_, her parents were wonderful in their own ways.

Nah had tried to get the most information out of her father first. Her mother seemed too flighty and distracted to ever give her a straight answer, and while her father seemed nearly the same, he seemed the most probable to give her at least something.

So she approached the dark mage with questions swirling through her mind, and was very careful to let only one exit at a time.

"Father, how did you and Mother meet?"

Yes, that was good. Short, and with the opportunity to evolve in to so much more exposition.

His answer started with a giggle, and that smile he always held. She wondered if it was genuine, because she knew how to force smiles too. Maybe she had inherited it?

"Nyaha, well, your mom's a dragon, right?" Henry answered. "We both shared a fondness for blasting bad guys with fireballs so we were fast friends!"

That was it? ...Fireballs brought her family together? "You didn't... think she was beautiful or tried to sweep her off her feet?" Nah questioned.

"I thought it was cool how she could turn into a dragon! I saw some one turn into a crow once too, so I thought she might know him and she could help me learn how!"

The manakete was starting to understand why they had called her father eccentric.

"So no, it was nothing like that," Henry continued, still smiling. "I mean your mom is kinda pretty, probably, but there were tons more reasons to get hitched."

Oh? _Now_ she was getting somewhere. She smiled. "Like what?"

"Like I promised her something! I promised that we'd have a huge family and she wouldn't have to be alone ever again. Didn't you have a bunch of brothers and sisters?"

Nah's heart fell. The man before her might have been her father, but he seemed so different than any one that would have left her at a foster home. "No... I didn't." How could some one like this leave her alone like that?

"What?" Henry looked confused. While his smile remained, it wasn't nearly as wide or friendly. "But that's what I told Nowi! Why would I break my promise?"

Nah bowed her head. She didn't know. It seemed like her search for answers only brought up more questions. Darker questions. Questions she didn't even know if she wanted answered.

"Huh. That's really weird! What was I even like in the future? Or will be? Nyaha!"

How could he not be bothered by- Oh. That's right. He didn't know. Nah almost didn't want to tell him. Even though she couldn't say she understood her father and she didn't really know anything about him, it was almost obvious that the truth would also confuse him.

"I... don't know," she answered. "My parents left me with one of my father's soldier friends and their family..."

She was glad when she didn't have to continue. "Why would I do that?" Henry asked, managing another laugh. Once again, it was a question she didn't know the answer to. Before she could even shrug her shoulders to demonstrate that, Henry pulled her into a tight hug.

"I'm not about to let that happen a second time! Or even a first, okay? You're my daughter, Nah. I'm sorry the Henry of your time didn't appreciate that, but you better believe this one does!"

Her arms wrapped around him and held him tight. She had been afraid of initiating contact with either of her parents, but he seemed so nice here. Nah bit her lip. She almost wanted to cry, but she was still afraid that she was walking on eggshells around him this whole time.

"Hey! What do you think you two are doing?" That was... her mother's voice? Was she in trouble. "I can't believe you're having family bonding without me!"

The manakete let out a giggle before nearly tackling Henry and Nah, hugging them both tightly. Henry let out a giggle also, wrapping one arm around his wife.

"Nah just needed a hug is all!" he answered.

Nowi grinned up at him. Nah could see something twinkling in her eyes that put her at ease, but she couldn't quite figure out what it was.

"Well she's getting two! Is there anything eeeelse Nah needed?"

Henry hummed, either deep in thought or joking about it. "Nyaha, maybe she also needed some ice cream?"

"I think _I _need some ice cream too!"

Nah couldn't help but smile. As childish as her parents could be... She definitely wouldn't give them up for the fantasy.


End file.
